The Sleuth of Ming Dynasty Episode 17 Recap
> The Sleuth of Ming Dynasty Recap
Tang Fan's sister, Tang Yu, recovering from the abuse by her husband He Lin, was distraught and injured. She shared her deep despair, feeling her life was now inextricably linked to her son, Cheng, and expressing how Tang Fan himself was once her only source of joy. Tang Fan tried to comfort her, acknowledging her immense kindness. Meanwhile, Sui Zhou arrived at the Yu mansion with Mr. Sun, the coroner of Shuntian Prefecture, to examine the bodies.
Yu Zhenglin, the second son who had survived the massacre, readily granted permission. Mr. Sun observed that the bodies of Mrs. Yu and Eldest Master Yu showed no signs of struggle, suggesting they died in their sleep, and the knife wounds indicated a single perpetrator. However, Chef Zhang and Miss Yu had clear signs of a struggle, and Chef Zhang’s wounds were notably different, even strange.
Mr. Sun speculated that Miss Yu was the last victim, and Chef Zhang had fought to protect her, leading to her survival, albeit gravely injured. He requested a more thorough examination of the bodies, which Yu Zhenglin readily allowed. Yu Zhenglin then pleaded with Sui Zhou to care for his surviving sister. Consumed by rage over his family's slaughter, Yu Zhenglin publicly announced a substantial bounty of 30,000 strings of coins, representing all his family's assets.
He declared that anyone providing evidence of Western Depot Commander Wang Zhi's corruption, deceiving the Emperor, forming factions, illicit profiteering, or selling of official titles would be handsomely rewarded. He further offered half of his family's wealth to anyone who could prove Wang Zhi was responsible for the Yu family massacre. As Sui Zhou began his investigation into the Yu family case, he faced immense pressure from various political factions eager to see Wang Zhi removed.
Commander Wan, in a subtle conversation with Eunuch Commander Shang, alluded to the widespread accusations against Wang Zhi, hinting at adding fuel to the fire. Sui Zhou, however, remained focused on finding the true killer. His efforts were severely hampered by a deluge of false confessions, many of which were orchestrated. Individuals came forward claiming responsibility for the Yu family murders, all alleging Wang Zhi was their instigator.
Sui Zhou meticulously questioned them, quickly exposing their lies as they fabricated inconsistent details about the number of victims or the weapons used. He warned them of severe penalties for perjury. Amidst these false claims, a young child provided accurate details about the Yu family bodies. Under Sui Zhou's persistent questioning, the child revealed an old man without a beard had taught him what to say, promising fifteen taels of silver for his testimony so his family would not starve.
Sui Zhou sent the child home, cautioning him against further deception. Concurrently, Tang Fan's sister, Tang Yu, endured further torment at her husband He Lin's hands. He Lin, believing their son Cheng was possessed, subjected the child to abuse. Tang Yu desperately tried to intervene, explaining Cheng was merely ill and had medicine. He Lin dismissed her, insisting Cheng needed to be beaten to expel the "evil."
He Lin then presented Tang Yu with a mutual divorce agreement, where he promised to return Cheng if she forwent her dowry. Tang Yu, desperate for Cheng's safety, readily agreed to forgo her dowry entirely and signed the agreement. However, He Lin immediately reneged, pointing out the agreement explicitly stipulated she would receive no dowry and made no mention of Cheng. Tang Yu, devastated by the betrayal, collapsed.
Duo Er La, incensed, advocated for forcibly rescuing Cheng, reminding Tang Fan of their prairie customs. Tang Fan, however, urged restraint, emphasizing that they were in Ming territory and must adhere to its laws, advocating for a strategic approach instead of reckless action. At court, a mountain of impeachment memorials against Wang Zhi accumulated. Officials like Wu Yong accused Wang Zhi of massive bribery during his inspection tours and, more gravely, of orchestrating the Yu family massacre.
Despite the lack of concrete evidence, a high-ranking official pressed the Emperor, arguing that such widespread accusations could not be entirely unfounded, and reminded him of the long-standing enmity between Wang Zhi and the Yu family, particularly Eldest Master Yu Zhengpeng's previous accusations against Wang Zhi for Minister Yu's death. To appease the clamor, the Emperor ordered Wang Zhi's temporary suspension, confined him to his residence, and prohibited him from leaving the capital.
Western Depot's duties were temporarily transferred to Eastern Depot. Undeterred by his predicament, Wang Zhi stealthily visited a blind treasury clerk to investigate the official silver. The clerk, who had worked in the treasury for over thirty years and lost his sight due to the dim conditions, could discern the origin, weight, and authenticity of any silver ingot by touch alone.
He confirmed that the problematic silver was indeed cast from an official mold of the Yunhe Mintage Supervision Bureau, but it was impure and underweight. As Wang Zhi departed, he was ambushed by numerous assassins. Fortunately, Jia Kui arrived and helped Wang Zhi escape. Despite being under suspension and facing widespread accusations, Wang Zhi undertook a brazen journey to Tongzhou to meet Tang Fan.
He found Tang Fan mediating a mundane dispute in the local court, where Tang Fan ultimately paid for a pig himself to resolve the matter. Tang Fan was also in the midst of formulating a plan to retaliate against the He family for their mistreatment of his sister. When they met privately, Wang Zhi bypassed any mention of his own troubles.
Instead, he revealed a grave national crisis: for the past three years, official silver ingots from Yunhe, a crucial source of Ming's currency, had been found mixed with lead. He stressed the vital importance of this silver for everything from official salaries to military provisions, warning of impending disaster for the Ming Dynasty if the issue remained unchecked. Wang Zhi confided that only the Emperor, he, and now Tang Fan knew of this secret.
Tang Fan, with his characteristic astuteness, immediately deduced that Wang Zhi was facing a severe, possibly career-ending, crisis in the capital, and had traveled to Tongzhou specifically to entrust him with this critical task because he was being framed. Tang Fan suggested Wang Zhi stay in Tongzhou to weather the storm, but Wang Zhi insisted he had to return to the capital before the city gates closed that day.
Wang Zhi, however, failed to reach the capital before the city gates were sealed for the night. The next morning, eager ministers quickly reported his unauthorized departure to the Emperor, claiming he had attempted to flee. An officer from the patrolmen of the capital confirmed Wang Zhi's carriage was seen outside the closed gates and that Imperial Guards had apprehended him.
The Emperor summoned Sui Zhou, who calmly explained that Wang Zhi had been targeted in an assassination attempt and had sought refuge at the Northern Administrative Court for the entire night. Despite Sui Zhou's testimony, the Emperor, aiming to pacify the suspicious and clamoring officials, ordered Wang Zhi to be confined to the Imperial Edict Prison.
